Three Gorges Dam to be available to tourists from July

The top of Three Gorges Dam will be open to tourists from July 1, 2005 and till September 30, as initially planned. Only 1, 000 tourists will be allowed per day, from 9:00 to 17: 00. To ensure safety, tourists to the top of the dam must take safety inspection. Video camera and drink are not allowed. They will take electromobile to the top of the dam.

Haier's world advanced stereoscopic warehouse

Haier has upgraded its stereoscopic warehouse for the third time recently, making its international logistics center technically advanced in the world. The warehouse, 22 meters high, works intelligently and automatically with a laser-guided vehicle. This has brought Haier's annual cost on inventory down to 600 million yuan from 1.5 billion yuan.

Tibetan farmers enjoy "Onkor Festival"

The "Onkor Festival", or "Fruit-Awaiting Festival" is quite popular in the agricultural region in Tibet. Every year when crops are ripe and ready for reaping, local farmers in Tibet, dressed in festival clothes, holding "Qie Ma" and Qingke barley wine that symbolize abundant harvest, will sing and dance in the farmland, celebrating the annual "Onkor Festival" indicating plenteous harvest.

Tourists fascinated by Nyingchi landscape, Tibet

In 2004, Nyingchi, dubbed as the " Tibet's picturesque south Yangtze River", received 320,000 visits from home and abroad. Tourism generated more than 72 million yuan for the area. To build a world tourism brand, Nyingchi has developed tourism sites with unique national traits and exotic and offered well-designed tourism programs. Now Nyingchi is one of the most popular destinations for travelers on the "roof of the world".

Pamirs Plateau: "Ancestor of ten thousands of mountains"

The photo shows the 7,546 meter-high Mustagh Ata on the Pamirs Plateau. The plateau, covered with snow throughout the year, is named "Father of Icebergs" by Swedish explorer Sven Hedin.

New York releases blueprint of Freedom Tower

The picture of a modified effect drawing of the New York Freedom Tower was released on June 29. The tower is a key project on the site of the devastated NY World Trade Center. Modification on the design has been made for safety concerns. The newly-designed Freedom Tower is 1,776 feet high (541.3 meters). It will become the world's tallest building upon completion.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo pushes through with her reform agenda despite "political noise"

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo addresses a business conference in the financial district of Makati, 29 June 2005. Embattled Philippine President Gloria Arroyo announced that her controversial husband is going into foreign exile but indicated that she would tough it out against opposition moves to oust her over alleged election cheating. Arroyo told a business conference she was pushing through with her reform agenda amid a "looming oil crisis" after getting Congress to pass painful revenue measures.

China's first private petroleum group corporation established

Representatives celebrate at the establishing ceremony of China's first private petroleum group corporation in Beijing, June 29, 2005. The corporation, named Changlian or Great United, has integrated well-performing assets of more than 30 big private enterprises in petroleum and gas industries. It will form a complete petroleum industrial chain covering fields from mining, refinery to sale.

Sickened children by problematic vaccines total 300, some recovering

A doctor examines a sick child at the 3rd People's Hospital in Sixian County, east China's Anhui Province June 28, 2005. The latest number of the children sickened by the problematic vaccines reached 300 from 215 at the beginning on Tuesday. Health authorities in Anhui Province announced on June 28 that immunoreaction is likely to blame for the vaccine accident that has killed one and sickened another 300 school children in Sixian County.

Chinese labor submits petition to Japanese government, demanding open apology and compensation

Surviving Chinese laborer Li Tiechui talks to reporters about his move of submiting petition to Japanese Prime Minister in Tokyo, Japan, June 29, 2005. Li went to the Prime Minister's residence to submit a petition and open letter with 230,000 signatures of Chinese citizens to Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro, demanding an open apology and economic compensation from the Japanese government. From August 1944 to November 1945, more than 400 of 986 Chinese slave laborers who were forced to work in a copper mine in northern Japanese town of Hanaoka have died of torture and arduous labor.

Grenade attack injures 9 in India-held Kashmir

A police car damaged in a grenade attack is left on the roadside in Srinagar, summer capital of the India-held Kashmir, June 29, 2005. A grenade attack happened on a road of Srinagar on Wednesday, left nine people injured including four policemen.

Awarded press photos exhibited in Beijing

A piece of awarded photo of the first China International Press Photo (CHIPP) contest is put on the wall prior to its exhibition at China Art Gallery in Beijing, June 29, 2005. The exhibition of the awards works of the first CHIPP is to be held here from June 30 to July 15, featuring 105 pieces of press photos.

Rice's maiden visit to the UN

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan (R) and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pose for photograph during their meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on June 28, 2005. The meeting focused on the UN reforms and the situations in Iraq and Lebanon on Tuesday. Annan also expressed concern to Rice about a US Congress legislation that could threaten to cut US funding for the UN. It is her first visit to the UN since Rice took office as US Secretary of State.

Chinese leaders meet with Fijian PM

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R), shakes hands with visiting Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase during their meeting in Beijing, June 29, 2005.